Mom it's a...It's a...Oh just come look!

It's a Cardinal Michael and a very pretty male Cardinal. Good eye Michael, Good eye!

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Michael and I were going for a walk and he was outside in the yard waiting on me when he came in and told me to come look...

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We saw a lot of deer on our walk...the one thing you spot rather quickly is their white tails! and sometimes the only thing you see!
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He loves playing with the rattle bushes...
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Mom a seed...cool!

And we brought it home and we will plant it tomorrow to see if we can get it to grow. The plant is from the bean family and the seed looks like a little kidney bean.
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We looked for minnows, no live ones found.

We found dead minnows where the dry creek bed had dry spots and lots of Raccoon tracks!
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We found lots of tracks in the wet sand...Here Michael found a dog track!

We studied different tracks and discussed how mud effects tracks. I also showed him some deer poo and I told him it was called scat, yes kind of disgusting but part of being out in nature and knowing what your looking at. We found a couple of animal dens and tried to figure out what type of animal was living in them. Possibly a skunk but honestly not sure, no clear tracks. I think he really enjoyed our little adventure he sure found a lot of deer tracks :o)
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Posing on some Grape vine.
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Getting bored and losing interest!
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Oak tree!
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American Kestrel

I tried to sneak up on him but he was watching me, sigh!

We saw a lot of birds but hardly any of the photos I took were worth sharing.

I was so proud of Michael. If I said look a bird, Michael would stand next to me quietly while I took photos. He knows Momma likes to take photos of birds and that he has to be quiet if I'm going to get a photo!
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And when we arrived back at the house we found Marble and his ladies pilfering the yard! Watch out grasshoppers you are doomed!

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It was a beautiful evening and Michael and I had a great walk. We checked the game camera and there were 57 photos of the cows on the memory card, yikes! We left the camera where it was but scouted game trails to see where we should move it next. We'll give it a few more days and then try somewhere else.

Some days...

When I take my camera out for a nature walk I wonder why I even did it...This is one of those days, I should have taken a nap!

After walking out the door without the camera to begin with, twisting my ankle while walking, falling off my camp chair and then the rain starting...I heaved a big sigh, came back to the house and made cherry cheese cakes...They're in the oven as I type and I really hope they turn out, Mmmmm...

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I did manage a few photos, nothing spectacular. Above is the seed pods from a rattle bush.

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Wide angle view of where I was at...
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Another Wide angle view of where I had come from...
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and acorn caps with a chewed up oak leaf...

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Thank you God...

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For a beautiful day in South Texas!

Eating out...

We met our cousins Bill and Melanie and their friends Rick and Denise down at Colet Inn Bar and Grill for dinner tonight.

Michael was bored and hiding behind a napkin from the camera but I got him...

Bill and Melanie

Rick and Denise live here. Rick grew up with Bill and moved to Texas in the 80's.

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Bill and Melanie are headed back to Michigan tomorrow. They're doing a layover at the Casino's in Louisiana on their way home. Grammy is hitching a ride with them and headed back to the frozen North country. We had a good visit tonight and will say farewell tomorrow.

Walking with my boy...

I wanted to check the game camera and Michael wanted to check on the minnows. So after school today we went for a walk...

Julie wondering what Michael has in his bucket...Carrots?

Walk'in...

Wait'in..."Mom come on, stop taking photos! Walk faster."

Posing for me...acting goofy!

I'm sad to report the water hole the minnows were in was dried up and there were raccoon tracks all over the place. They had a tasty treat. We walked along the dry creek bed checking other water holes. I spotted some Frog eggs, actually lots & lots of Frog eggs. Michael was tickled. We studied them and held them then put them back. I did let him bring a few home to see if they'd grow and hatch. He is very excited! Now hopefully the dog, cats and chickens leave them alone, ekk.

Thousands of Frog eggs...

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No photos on the game camera, sigh! I need to be patient and hopefully in a few more days we'll have some. I had a nice walk with Michael and we studied the different tracks left by the different animals.

Visitors from Michigan...

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My cousins, Bill and Melanie, from Michigan came down for a visit.

I took a photo of them with Mel's camera (I forgot mine, oops) at our property today. A cold front blew in and it wasn't the greatest weather but at least the sun came out for a bit.

It was good to see them and so glad they got a break from that nasty weather in Michigan.
They'll be heading back Saturday and Grammy will be heading back with them. She's homesick and ready to go home.

Evening nature walk...

It's been awhile since I've made it outside for some photo therapy. It was absolutely gorgeous tonight and tomorrow we have another arctic front moving through so it was now or wait another week...I couldn't wait!!

I love this photo...It makes me chuckle as the deer are really getting used to me and my camera...Momma Doe of course is watching but the others could care less, love it!

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Bracken or Fern...not sure which!
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It was growing out of an oak limb and I thought it was pretty cool. I felt like I was in the rain forest...wonder where the snakes are?
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Kinglet...

Not a great photo but proof that I did see birds! I saw a Robin too, spring is here the Robins are migrating North, yeah! Now when the temps drop tomorrow remind me of this, lol.
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Beautiful Blue skies!
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Trying out the wide angle lens in the brush...
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I even stopped and checked out rocks...Oh how I love to rock hunt!
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On my way back to the house I ran into the deer again...If it hadn't been getting dark I would have sat and watched them for awhile.
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Another wide angle shot of the Oak Trees out in the pasture!
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Julie watching the deer and waiting on me to feed her...

She's 24 yrs old this year and starting to show her age.
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Love this windmill...
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So glad I was able to go for a quiet walk in the woods. I also put up the game camera to see what I can get a photo of when I am not around...On the way back from our minnow catching adventure Michael and I walked over to the game camera and had our photos taken, lol...